Signaling device for automobiles.



F. J. ERNEY.

SIGNALING DEVIGB FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1c, 1913.

1,105,637,; Patented Aug. 4, 1914. v

2 BHEETBBHEET 1.

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BY 'mibg F. J. BRNBY.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB16,1H13.

1,105,637, Patented Aug. 4, 1914,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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FRANK J. ERNEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SIGNALING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Application filed June 16, 1913. Serial No. 773,866.

To f ll IF/I071? '2 7'1' a]; r-oi cwrfl.

lie it lcnown that l, l ama .l'. l illNllY, a citizen at the United Staten residing at Ulcvcland. in the county of thrvahogra and Frltate of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in Signaling Dcvicce 'lor Automobiles, of which the following a fulh clear, and exactdescription, reference being); bad to the accompanying drawings;

This invention relates to signaling devices and nart-imilarly to 2l (,'ni)lltl)l1l8(l tail lamp and z signali'ng; lamp for use upon automo bilea and arranged'so as at all times to pertorin the ordinary auctions oi: a tail lamp a well as; illumi .ing the number plate if desired, and in luliililflll any be actuated to inlorni persons in other vehicles of the intentiona oi the automobile driver thereby rcrluci lihood oi colliaiou.

it the enema oil certain intelligent and carctul o 'icrato 've notice to 'li'illowing vchi ler s of th r intention to atop suddenly or to I jitl'ier changes in the drivirrgj o'l' Lllltll rear end collisions may be 1d. li'n'isanzch as these signals are gcni rear by certain well undi stood no; of the hands and anus they are ohjcctionalilc even in the day time by reason or the occur ity o l' I particular thought thereto and re irimg the reoun'al of the h'n'id from he opmative pa ts; of the mcclr a lam, while at night eucl' signals are uselure: laiaausc ii'ivi blc.

c the o o! thiia inrentii'in to provide nalingr ocvicee which shall he operable i1i(:i' ill.ll*l tly oi any HlMlZlllG intention on the part oi the o' 'icrator and which shall not iii-quire the actuation oi any other levers ot ccnlirclliiip; devicca than those ordinmily present; the proviaion ()Ill a iie'naliug dexiie w hit-h either by day or hy night and particularly by air if shall be readily apprn'ent and shall he immedialely uzulcrrlood as; a eig'nal; nvivir ion it a if'onibined lamp which l "ll acrvc the p irpostis otjlhe ordinary tail: lamp and ah: ll a so be equipped with devices relay the haracter of the li arht given only be altered upon changes-, in the control oi the machine; while Further objest-s: and advantages wi ll heroine apparent: a the dcacriptiou LJIUlfifitl in the drawii mg; a part at.

and formlratcd one form of lamp in which my invenlion can be embodied and one form of mechanism whereliy the same may be operated in connection with automobile controllingmcchanism, although it is understood that this construction is only one of many which could be adopted for the end in view.

In these drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rearward side of my improved signal lamp together with a diagram illustrating one mode of connecting the same to the control. levers of the automobile; Fi". 2 is another perspective View of the same lamp showing the face side thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse, cross sectional View of a portion of the lamp taken upon a central horizontal plane looking downwardly; Fig. {l is a bottom plan view of the signal lamp; and llig. 5 ehows my invention applied to an automobile.

Describing the parts by reference charac tars, represents the casing of my improved eignal lam p, 2 the chimney, 3 the fuel reservoir. and =lthe supportinggear whereby it may be secured to the bracke; 5 ordinarily provided in an automobile for such purpose. Inasmuch as the ordinary tail lamp carried by an automobile shows a circular light I desire to show as a signal a square or reclangular light-beam the better to attract at.-- lcntiou. wherefore I preferably form the inning: of pyramidal form having a aubstantially Square base 5; shown. said pyramid is presented in the direction the light is to be thrown and the apex of the pyramid is prct'eralily roui'uled oil in two directions upon parabolic curves, the light source being located at the connnon 'liOOliS of these parabolas'. This arrangement causes the entire aperture of the casing to be illuher 7 as; in the usual case, and the opposite boas "beingprovided with a green lens 1n accordance with the usual practice although it is obvious that these glasses could be interchangeel in case the position of the tail lamp Patented A11 4, 1.914.-

ill

sets a practii'aal upper limit to the movemci'i't.

While it is frequently desirable, as above explained, to effect the iuieratioi'i. of this sigmil simultaneously with the operation of the autoinobili and. without giving the same es 'iecial consideration it may sometimes be desirable to operate the sauna independently of such control where tore l have suggested an independent pedal till. Also, while lv have showi an oil-bnrning lamp as being, the type most likely to be used. it; a tail lamp, it is obvious that any suitable light source may be ei'nployed. also while I have shown exterior opaque shutters for changing the character and intensity of the light it is obvious that many other cxpedicnts could be adopted for ellfecting these changes. In. general it will, be obvious that a great many variations in matters of detail could b; made without departing from the scope of my invention or serious dctrin'icnt to the advantages derived therefrom. Accordinrgly l cstci'an my invention to comprise all modifications and re-arrangenlents so far as comprised within the annexed claims.

Having; thus described my i1 ention what kl: claim isz 1. in a device of the character described,

the combination, with a casing of opaque material having a. window opening in its side and a pane oi. translucent material covering; said window o iiening, of one or more shutters of opaque material :arried by said casing, and means for moving said shutter or shutters into and out of obstructing position as regards said opening, said shutter onshnl'tcrs having an aperture therein of diti'crent shape and smaller size than said wimlow opening, and the part of said pane with which said aperture registers being of a dillerent color than the pane.

in a device of "the character described,

' the (aanbination, with a casing of opaque material having a rectangular opening and a pane of translucent material covering; said o 'lcning, of one or more shutters of opaque material arried by said casing and means for moving said shutter or shutters into and out; of obstructing position as regards said opening, said shutter or shutters having an aperture therein, and the pairt of said pane opposite said shutter aperture being colored, the remainder oi said pane being of a different color.

:l. Xi iii; o ai lamp for vehicles, comprising, in roznbi ho, a casing of opaque material lniv ine a, a nz idar o )enin e in its side, a pane of lrani-zparcnt material. covering said opiniine', shutters longed to said casing at oppum sides ct said opening, said shutters i og their tree edges notcl'ied so as to provl la an a mrture when said shutters are diurnal, lllimtln ,llULimiLH- remainder oi said ters in closed position, and means connected to said shutters for opening the same to change the character of the light beam.

t. A signaling device for automobiles, comprising, in combination, a supporting device adapted to be secured to an automobile, a member oi opaque material pivoted to said supporting device, the :Xis of said pivot lying in the plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, a lamp or burner -arried by said supporting device, at the lorward side of said member, and means for swinging maid member about its axis so as alternately to disclose said light source from the, r air of the vehicle and to obstruct the same, the face of said member which is presented toward the light source when in obstructing position beingof a bright c010 and the opposite i'ace being of a dark or neutral color and the angle oi rotation of said member beingsullicient to display said bright colorcd' face to the rear of the vehicle when said member is moved to uuobstructing position.

A signaling device for automobiles, comprising, in combination, a casing adapted to be secured than automobile and having a rearward 1y facing Window, a lamp or burner within said casing and adapted when lighted, to illuminatesaid window, an o aque shutter mounted upon a substantially vertical pivot at each side of said wii'ulow, means for rotating said shutters about their pivots so as alternately to ob- 100 slruct and to uncover said window, the angle of rotation of said shutters being greater than 90 and the inner faces of said shutters being of a dillerent color than the outer faces thereof so as to render visible the 105 movement oi. the same in the daytime.

6. In a tail-lamp for automobiles, in combination, a casing of opaque materials having a rearwardly exposed Face formed with a rectangular opening, a light source in "aid 110 casing, a translucent pane in said opening. a circular lens carried by one face of: said pane, a pair oF shutters pivoted to said oas-. ing at opposite sides of said opening and adapted when closed to meet at their edges,

tcrs simultaneously about their pivots so as 1 to cove and uncover said opening.

7. In a tail-lamp for automobiles, in combination, a casing of opaque materials having a rearwardly exposed face formed with a rectangular opening, a light source in said casing, a translucent pane in said opening, a circular lens carried by one face of said pane, a pair of shutters pivoted to said casing at opposite sides of said opening and adapted. when closed to meet at their edges, 

